


Walking me home

by fanthyng_mego



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Friends to Lovers, M/M, the longest friends to lovers that ever existed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:27:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22364851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanthyng_mego/pseuds/fanthyng_mego
Summary: Harry has always known the roads that lead to home.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ron Weasley
Comments: 9
Kudos: 154





	Walking me home

**Author's Note:**

> TUMBLR NOTES PART 1:  
> Let me add: this is heavily based on Ed Sheeran’s song “I’m a mess”  
> And oh, I’ve known it for the longest time  
> And all my hope  
> All my words are all over written on the signs  
> When you’re on my road walking me home  
> Home, home, home, home  
> –  
> I messed up this time  
> Late last night  
> Drinking to suppress devotion  
> With fingers intertwined  
> (Like, really, the image of Harry and Ron strumbling towards The Burrow in a dark road, following the warm light of the house, knowing there is family and a warm meal and soft beds and eachother… so grateful of being together and alive…)

The Leaky Cauldron had been full of people. Harry tried to ask about the security measures exactly once before the Chief Auror had told him “Potter, we’ll deal with that. Go celebrate before I put you on guard duty.”

So many of his friends, old and new. Everybody wasted. Abel had cried loudly that thank god he could finally start making money. Seamus had jumped on a table and declared that if he saw shady dark magic shit in the Ministry he would be the first to go rogue. Neville screamed he’d be the second. Mitchell had thanked everybody profusely for their support and acceptance. Ron had kept by his side all night.

The Auror Academy graduation party had been great.

Most of the newly graduated aurors had rented rooms, and he helped drag some of the drunker ones up to their beds. It had taken him and Ron to carry Smith up to his bed, he had blacked out completely.

They, whoever, had promised Molly to be in The Burrow in the morning. And it was only one hour and half till morning, so they might as well head there instead of their apartment.

Neil stood by them as they boarded the Knight Bus. “Harry, you need help taking him home?”

“I’ve been dealing with this bloke since forever!” said Harry. “Don’t worry, Neville!”

Ron walked wobbly but surely up the Knight Bus’ stairs.

Harry supposed this was the time for his workout sessions with the Weasley siblings to pay off. Ron was _heavy_.

He supported his best friend's big lean body with his own, as Ron tried to put one foot in front the other. They had been good getting out off the pub, enough so that Harry had told Neville not to worry, waving him away. They would get to The Burrow fine for themselves.

Seemed that the alcohol had managed to hit Ron harder on their way back, and Harry was not risking letting him walk by himself after he almost fell headfirst to the floor while tripping down the steps on the Knight Bus. Thank god that kid Mark, the helper, had been able to catch him by the jacket. Stan Shunpike had laughed from his driver seat.

Ron too had desisted on trying to walk independently after tripping twice at the start of the long walk from the bus stop towards his parent's house.

The chill night wind was biting and made their steps stiff, but Harry was glad he could press himself against his friend for a bit of warmth. Ron kept slapping his hand to his forehead to wipe away the locks of his too long hair from his eyes.

“Ugh… the price of being a beauty… bloody wind…” Mumbled Ron. Harry giggled.

"Thank Merlin." said Ron, words slurring. "that old hag Skeeter is in St. Mungo's, or next day sure there would be a picture of me... of me in The Prophet."

Harry smiled. "Ginny should throw herself mid-game in the reporter's cabin more often, we could sure party more."

"Takes after me." said Ron proudly, theatrically digging his thumb in his chest while pointing at himself.

Harry laughed, arm tightening around Ron's waist to keep him close and steady. The curved path towards Ron’s house was sufficiently lit by the waxing moon, and thousands of stars. Ron stood tall next to him, his arm around his shoulder had a strong, secure hold. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but it had been a while since he had not felt uneasy at night. He felt bubbly and happy, and looking ahead he could see they had passed the last curve and The Burrow's windows shined with inviting orange light, where warm chimneys and delicious food was waiting for them.

He felt warmly content, the world was perfect right that instant. He tried to savour it as much as possible, memorize it in his mind and heart.

This was what patronuses were made of.

"Mate." Harry said. "Not to put down your cooking, you're improving greatly, but I've been dying for some of your mom's food."

"Improving greatly?" repeated Ron ironically, rubbing Harry's hair. "Yet you wolf it down every time!"

His hand stayed on Harry's hair as they smiled at each other. 

Then Ron quickly let his hand fall and turned his face away, so sudden that they both struggled a bit.

"Whoa, easy there, Ron!"

Ron looked at him again, his arm around Harry's shoulders heavy and tight as he supported himself on him. The light coming from the house complimented on his copper hair and Harry almost could see the blue of his eyes through his light eyelashes... or, maybe it was that he knew them so well he remembered the color as he saw them.

Clear skies without a single cloud.

Warmth swarmed his chest, for he was holding the hottest fire against the cold of the night, and the fire was holding him as well. Home had always felt like this.

Everything he had ever wanted as a kid, Ron had been that.

Ron _was_ that.

But _home_ had it’s limits, too.

"When we were in school-" started Harry, then immediately shut up.

"What?" whispered Ron.

"You know, you fought so much with Hermione, we all thought you both would end up married. Still do."

Ron sighed, then giggled. "We don't _fight_ . We argue. Discuss. _Debate_. She loves it. Keeps us both sharp."

"Yeah."

"It's not like that, though." Added Ron, as if an afterthought. "We're all like... what was it called? the three musks?"

"The Three Musketeers." laughed Harry.

"Yeah! All together, together all or whatever. Or like the Witches of The Fountain of Fair Fortune. We are family."

Harry smiled fondly at him. He wanted to wrap his other arm around Ron and dig his face on his warm chest, but he figured they both would be warmer if they got inside the house.

"Come on, mate, let's get you to bed."

"You'll come with me to bed?" asked Ron with a lighthearted tone.

"Haha, sure, sure."

"You're invited."

Harry's face felt hot. "Alright, you clown, move your feet."

They advanced unsteadily some more. They passed the fence and at stopped at the door. Ron unhooked his arm from Harry's neck and stood tall and stiff on his own two feet and took a sharp deep breath.

The words _you’re invited_ echoed through Harry’s brain. He could not… he would not take advantage of his friend’s offer. Ron didn’t know what it meant to him, never had known… couldn’t possibly be making that suggestion if he _knew_ …

“You aren’t going to throw up, are you?” He said, trying to focus on more practical matters.

“Not likely.” Murmured Ron, but he leaned forwards, hugging Harry close, chest to chest. Harry sighed, and then, embarrassed, hoped very hard that Ron hadn’t heard it or at last would not remember it in the morning. He wrapped his arms around Ron’s torso, planted heavily his feet on the ground, holding up Ron’s weight.

The night sky, full of stories, they had studied it in Astrology. And yet there was a story he couldn’t place, coming to his mind right now. Ron’s cheek felt raspy then soft against his own, and now the light from the house was enough he could see with absolute certainty the sweetest constant of the universe.

Sky blue eyes.

There had been a man named Atlas.

Atlas had held the sky the same way Harry was holding his friend right now.

When Atlas could not hold the sky anymore, it would fall and destroy the earth.

Harry knew what would happen if it came a day in which he could not hold his friend anymore.

Ron’s golden freckles and candle-like eyelashes.

He didn’t know or care if time existed outside of this moment.

“When are you going to be ready?” asked Ron, softly.

Harry’s mind could barely attach meaning to words. He tried, though, desperately. Ready for what?

“I know… muggles don’t…”

Harry was even more confused.

“Muggles?”

In Ron’s face spread a precious blush, but his eyes were sure as ever.

“I’m ready, Harry. I’ve been for a long time. I just want you to know… when you are ready… I’ll keep waiting. I love you.”

Harry shook, violently. His first panicked thoughts: this isn’t real, this is a dream. 

Ron was closer than ever, and Harry felt the breath of each of his words on the lips.

“I’ve never minded, Harry. The waiting. I know. I know you. And when you are ready to love me back, I’ll be here, by your side, loving you.”

Ron started to support his weight by himself again. Placing his hands on Harry’s shoulders, rubbing soothingly. Harry didn’t let go.

Then the clarity came roaring through him like fiendfyre. Something too wild and violent to be joy, but that couldn’t be anything but joy.

He grabbed a fistful of Ron’s jumper. He ran his other hand through Ron’s hair.

And he kissed him. And he kissed him. And he kissed him.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> TUMBLR NOTES PART 2:  
> 1\. Ron is very drunk  
> 2\. he’s waited so so long (7 years at hogwarts + however long auror training takes) and Harry is so so fragile romantically speaking that he has to have it spelled out and Ron was actually planning to go SLOWER but Harry’s big green puppy eyes were too much.... and also Ron has always took care of Harry emotionally so he would know exactly what to say???  
> 3\. He’s been practicing in front of a mirror


End file.
